Breakout Sessions and Presenters

Putting White Space in the Masterpiece – Amanda Bentow            

The average American mom has about 36 minutes per day to herself. That is shockingly incompatible with the way we are wired for relationship with God, and invited to do the good works He has planned for us.
– If your time with God feels more like a McBurger drive thru than a Five Star dining experience…
– If your thought life feels like the chaos of 10 megaphones blasting urgent reminders in different languages…
– If your schedule has you emailing while talking on speakerphone on your drive across town…
…you may need more white space in your life.

We will identify what’s keeping you from living the peace-filled life of a Hallmark Christmas movie, and invite God to add some white space to the masterpiece that is YOU!

Amanda Bentow is a wife and mom of two kids. She had a plan to pursue a PhD and climb the ranks within the University system. But God. (also Thank God!) She now homeschools her kids, chugs green drinks, spends almost no time on her branding business, reads books, leads her small group, and serves as the Chair of the Council of Elders at HOPE Church in Grand Forks.

The Journey of Grief – Milly Prachar                     

Explore the journey of grief and the path to hope and healing, as well as walking with someone who is on the grief journey.

Milly Prachar is a wife, mom, grandma and retired health care worker. God is using her past experiences of grief and loss to minister to others, and Milly is currently a leader in the GriefShare group which serves Roseau County and the surrounding communities.

30 Days of Communion – Karen Kemi            

The blessed moments that the Creator spends with you. Experience communion by coming alone to the foot of the cross to learn of the restoration power of Jesus.

I was extremely fortunate to have been born into a Christian family. There are not many environments better to grow up in than a family that for generations have gone to church and read the Bible. As far as my grandparent’s and parent were concerned, I saw no hypocrisy-other than humans being humans-so the truth of the Word of God rang true from the earliest part of my memory. I was taught very early how practical, logical and beautiful Scripture is. My father wasn’t educated formally but remains one of my most trusted theologian and rely on the education he laid out for me-most importantly HOW to study Gods Word. Along with music, my mom taught me the softer side of theology and the humanity of Jesus. With the blending of these gifts, I now consider myself to be a Bible teacher that sings now and then. In this presentation I will prayerfully demonstrate how dear the Lord becomes with a personal favorite faith practice of mine – 30 days of solitary communion–just you and Jesus. I hope to be able to impart a love for Scripture, an effective way to study it and a thoughtful way to present it in daily life.

More Than a Song – Pastor Sarah Risley       

How are we preparing our hearts during the week for Sunday worship? Are we worshipping with more than just a song? When we come to the Lord in worship are we coming hungry and open to experiencing whatever he has for us, or are we coming with our own agendas? Pastor Sarah Risley leads a break-out session addressing these and other important aspects, helping you discover a deeper, intimate worship with the Lord.

Pastor Sarah Risley works at Mission Covenant Church in Poplar, Wisconsin and holds a Masters’ in Ministry Leadership and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. Passionate about making worship ‘more than just a song,’ she regularly leads Sunday worship as well as preaches. Sarah is also an avid homesteader, being a shepherd to a misfit flock of sheep and other farm animals. She also homeschools her four children and enjoys daily cups of coffee ‘with Jesus’ while sitting on her back deck.

Prayer Practices – Laura Hager     

Join us to practice a variety of prayer methods as we enjoy God together.

Laura Hager is the Prayer Coordinator for Jail Chaplains in Cass County ND. She regularly facilitates spiritual practices with the women incarcerated in the Cass County Jail.

Women Ministry in Your Church—Sheryl Schanil & Rachel Kleinschmidt

This breakout session will be an open forum to ask questions, share ideas, and troubleshoot issues within your church women’s ministries. If you are wanting to grow your ministry or are looking for new ideas, this session is for you!

Sheryl Schanil is the President of Women Ministries of the Northwest Conference. She has been active in Covenant Women/Women Ministries since graduating from high school. Her two greatest passions are working with children and equipping women to make an impact for the Kingdom of God. Sheryl enjoys being a ministry partner with her husband, Brian, who is pastor at Vista Covenant Church. She is loving the new role of being Grandma to 3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. Sheryl is known for baking bread and other goodies and running everywhere she goes.

Rachel Kleinschmidt is the Ministry Consultant for Women Ministries of the Northwest Conference and the Director of Operations at Riverwood Covenant Church in Rockford, MN. She is passionate about women ministries and is available to meet with your church women’s group to start new programs or revamp existing ones. She lives in Rockford with her husband Micah and 2 corgis, Waffles and Mocha. She enjoys reading, cooking, and singing with the worship team at her church.

Financial Strategy 101 – Steve Allison

3 Strands Strong

A Biblically Based Look at Personal Finances

The Bible has a lot to say about money, how we should think about it and manage it.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us that a cord of three stands is not easily broken.  In this presentation we will look at and explore the 3 strands of a personal financial plan that provide a financial foundation that is not easily broken.

Steve Allison has been with Covenant Trust for 12 years and serves here in the Northwest Conference working with individuals and ministries to establish and manage long term financial plans.  He lives in Duluth, MN with his wife Kelly, two boys Derek and Dane, and their labrador retriever Zoe.

Estudio Biblico en Espanol – Maria Alarcon (Spanish language option)